The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for storing and transporting marinated meat products after marinating and before packaging.
Producers of marinated meat products typically marinate their meat products at one site in a factory and package their marinated meat product at another site. The marinated meat product must be transported from the marinating site to the packaging site. This transportation causes a loss of marinade from the meat product. In some situations, the marinated meat product must be temporarily stored between the marinating site and the packaging site. This storage also causes a loss of marinade.
The loss of marinade during storage and transportation of a marinated meat product is caused by the internal pressure of the muscle tone of the meat product. Additionally, the weight of other meat products piled on top of the meat product during storage and the vibrational force on the meat product during transportation causes the loss of marinade. All of these factors tend to force the marinade out of the meat product especially when the marinated meat product is stored in a dry storage container and/or where the marinated meat product must be transported a large distance by a mechanical conveyor belt.
The loss of marinade from a marinated meat product is significant in two ways: first, a loss of marinade will reduce the spiciness and juiciness of the meat product; and second, the waste of marinade will increase the cost of the meat product. Both the reduction of quality and the increase in price will ultimately reduce the satisfaction of the consumer with the meat product.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus which overcomes many of the known problems associated with the storage and transportation of marinated meat products.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus which reduces the loss of marinade from a marinated meat product during storage and transportation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus which reduces the loss of marinade from a marinated meat product during storage and transportation by overcoming the internal pressure of the muscle tone of the meat product.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus which reduces the loss of marinade from a marinated meat product during storage.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus which reduces the loss of marinade from a marinated meat product during transportation.
These and many other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.